Note: (DT) signifies a decision taken at Decision Time.
The meeting opened at 9.15 am.
1. Protection for Workers: Hugh Henry moved S3M-6350—That the Parliament believes that further measures need to be taken to deter violence against shop workers and other workers delivering a service to the public; notes with concern the finding of the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey 2008-09 that, of those adults who had jobs involving contact with the general public, 35% had experienced either verbal abuse or physical abuse; recognises that there has been a 78% increase in violence and abuse against Scottish shop workers over the last three years, according to Retailers Against Crime; welcomes the Freedom from Fear campaign organised by the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (USDAW), which seeks to make shops and shopping areas safer for staff and customers; acknowledges the efforts of the trade union movement as a whole to highlight the continuing problems of violence for those workers with direct contact with the public; recognises that there have been year-on-year increases in prosecutions under the Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005, and believes that the Parliament and the Scottish Government should take further action to ensure that workers can carry out their duties without facing violence or intimidation.
The Cabinet Secretary for Justice (Kenny MacAskill) moved amendment S3M-6350.2 to motion S3M-6350—
Insert at end—
“by accepting that a comprehensive approach to changing Scotland’s relationship with alcohol is required, which includes effective enforcement of existing laws and innovative, evidence-based policies.”
After debate, the amendment was agreed to (DT).
John Lamont moved amendment S3M-6350.1 to motion S3M-6350—
Leave out from second “Parliament” to end and insert—
“Scottish Government must ensure that the courts have a full range of disposals to deal with such antisocial behaviour including sentences of six months or less.”
After debate, the amendment was disagreed to ((DT) by division: For 16, Against 59, Abstentions 40).
Robert Brown moved amendment S3M-6350.3 to motion S3M-6350—
Insert at end—
“; recognises that attacks on public sector workers are treated with gravity under existing law, and believes that effective prosecution through the courts of such offences and the further development of non-legislative measures, including evidence sharing and partnership working, are an appropriate response to violence against workers delivering a public service.”
After debate, the amendment was agreed to ((DT) by division: For 73, Against 0, Abstentions 42).
The motion, as amended, was then agreed to (DT).
Accordingly, the Parliament resolved—That the Parliament believes that further measures need to be taken to deter violence against shop workers and other workers delivering a service to the public; notes with concern the finding of the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey 2008-09 that, of those adults who had jobs involving contact with the general public, 35% had experienced either verbal abuse or physical abuse; recognises that there has been a 78% increase in violence and abuse against Scottish shop workers over the last three years, according to Retailers Against Crime; welcomes the Freedom from Fear campaign organised by the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (USDAW), which seeks to make shops and shopping areas safer for staff and customers; acknowledges the efforts of the trade union movement as a whole to highlight the continuing problems of violence for those workers with direct contact with the public; recognises that there have been year-on-year increases in prosecutions under the Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005; believes that the Parliament and the Scottish Government should take further action to ensure that workers can carry out their duties without facing violence or intimidation by accepting that a comprehensive approach to changing Scotland’s relationship with alcohol is required, which includes effective enforcement of existing laws and innovative, evidence-based policies; recognises that attacks on public sector workers are treated with gravity under existing law, and believes that effective prosecution through the courts of such offences and the further development of non-legislative measures, including evidence sharing and partnership working, are an appropriate response to violence against workers delivering a public service.
2. General Question Time: Questions were answered by Cabinet Secretaries and Ministers.
3. First Minister’s Question Time: Questions were answered by the First Minister (Alex Salmond).
4. Themed Question Time: Questions on Education and Lifelong Learning, and on Europe, External Affairs and Culture were answered by Cabinet Secretaries and Ministers.
5. High Speed Rail Link: The Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change (Stewart Stevenson) moved S3M-6349—That the Parliament welcomes the work of High Speed Two, Greengauge21 and Network Rail, among others, which have developed the case for high-speed rail in the United Kingdom during the last year; notes the strong economic and environmental case for extending high-speed rail to Scotland; notes the opportunity to engage with the new Westminster administration to secure Scotland’s place in a UK high-speed rail network, and supports work to bring high-speed rail to Scotland at the earliest opportunity.
Charlie Gordon moved amendment S3M-6349.1 to motion S3M-6349—
Leave out from first “and” to end and insert—
“, the Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee and Network Rail, among others, which have developed the case for high-speed rail in the United Kingdom during the last year; notes the strong economic and environmental case for extending high-speed rail to Scotland; notes the opportunity to engage with the new Westminster administration to secure Scotland’s place in a UK high-speed rail network, and supports work to bring high-speed rail to Scotland at the earliest opportunity, as well as supporting interim steps to reduce rail journey times between Scotland and London”.
Alex Johnstone moved amendment S3M-6349.2 to motion S3M-6349—
After second “network” insert—
“; welcomes the commitment in the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition negotiations - Agreements reached document, published on 11 May 2010, to establish a high speed rail network”.
After debate, amendment S3M-6349.1 was agreed to ((DT) by division: For 99, Against 16, Abstentions 0). As a result, amendment S3M-6349.2 was pre-empted.
Robert Brown moved amendment S3M-6349.3 to motion S3M-6349—
Insert at end—
“, not least by the development by Transport Scotland, in association with UK partners, of detailed proposals for the Scottish end of the project.”
After debate, the amendment was disagreed to ((DT) by division: For 28, Against 87, Abstentions 0).
The motion, as amended, was then agreed to (DT).
Accordingly, the Parliament resolved—That the Parliament welcomes the work of High Speed Two, Greengauge21, the Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee and Network Rail, among others, which have developed the case for high-speed rail in the United Kingdom during the last year; notes the strong economic and environmental case for extending high-speed rail to Scotland; notes the opportunity to engage with the new Westminster administration to secure Scotland’s place in a UK high-speed rail network, and supports work to bring high-speed rail to Scotland at the earliest opportunity, as well as supporting interim steps to reduce rail journey times between Scotland and London.
6. Committee Membership: Bruce Crawford, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, moved S3M-6359—That the Parliament agrees that—
Alasdair Allan be appointed to replace Aileen Campbell on the Education, Lifelong Learning and Culture Committee;
Stuart McMillan be appointed to replace Willie Coffey on the Equal Opportunities Committee;
Dave Thompson be appointed to replace Angela Constance on the Justice Committee;
Alasdair Morgan be appointed to replace Alasdair Allan on the Local Government and Communities Committee;
Aileen Campbell be appointed to replace Alasdair Morgan on the Rural Affairs and Environment Committee;
Angela Constance be appointed to replace Dave Thompson on the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee.
The motion was agreed to (DT).
7. Substitution on Committees: Bruce Crawford, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, moved S3M-6360—That the Parliament agrees that Maureen Watt be appointed to replace Aileen Campbell as the Scottish National Party substitute on the Justice Committee.
The motion was agreed to (DT).
8. Decision Time: The Parliament took decisions on items 1, 5, 6 and 7 as noted above.
9. Family Nurse Partnership Programme in Lothian: The Parliament debated S3M-5636 in the name of Ian McKee—That the Parliament congratulates NHS Lothian on being selected by the Scottish Government as a test site, fully funded for three years, for a Family Nurse Partnership programme, an intensive preventive programme for vulnerable first-time young parents that has a 30-year evidence base showing the potential for improvements in women’s ante-natal health, reductions in children’s injuries, greater intervals between births, increases in fathers’ involvement, increases in employment and earnings, reductions in the need for benefits, improvements in school readiness, reduced arrests and criminal behaviour in 15-year-olds and mothers and that eventually produces savings five times the amount of an initial investment; realises that one measure alone is not the entire answer to challenges in this field but a welcome start, and wishes the project every success.
The meeting closed at 5.43 pm.
P E Grice
Clerk of the Parliament
20 May 2010
Appendix
(Note: this Appendix does not form part of the Minutes)
Subordinate Legislation
Negative Instruments
The following instrument was laid before the Parliament on 20 May 2010 and is subject to annulment
The Air Quality Standards (Scotland) Regulations 2010 (SSI2010/204)
laid under paragraph 2 of Schedule 2 to the European Communities Act 1972
Committee Reports
The following reports were published on 20 May 2010—
Public Audit Committee, 4th Report, 2010 (Session 3): The 2008-09 Audit of Transport Scotland (SP Paper 434)
Education, Lifelong Learning and Culture Committee, 3rd Report, 2010 (Session 3): Report on supporting children's learning code of practice (SP Paper 436)
Education, Lifelong Learning and Culture Committee, 4th Report, 2010 (Session 3): Report on subordinate legislation (SP Paper 437)
Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee, 5th Report, 2010 (Session 3): Subordinate Legislation (SP Paper 438)
Subordinate Legislation Committee, 31st Report, 2010 (Session 3): Subordinate Legislation (SPPaper 440)